The abnormalities in the supply of gonadal hormones, both androgens and estrogens, have been proposed to be associated with prostatic dysfunctions. Changes in the modes of action of these steroid hormones in prostates may be, therefore, factors associated with the manifestation of prostatic cancer. In this project, the steroid hormone receptors of human prostatic tissues will be studied so as to ascertain any correlations that may exist between these receptor macromolecules and the pathogenesis of human prostatic glands, such as benign hypertrophy and carcinoma. The objectives and methods are: (1) to characterize the cytosol 5S sex hormone-binding protein of human prostatic tissues and to determine whether or not this protein is derived from the sex hormone-binding protein of human blood; (2) to determine any quantitative differences in the amount of 5S cytosol component among normal, hypertrophic and cancerous human prostate glands; (3) to study the in vitro uptake of cytosol 5S proteins by the human prostates of normal and diseased tissues; (4) to characterize the cytosol 9.5S receptor proteins from normal and diseased human prostates; (5) to investigate the nature of the microsomal and nuclear receptors of human prostatic glands; and (6) to study the possible role that TeBG (testosterone-estradiol-binding globulin) in blood plasma may play, as an active carrier, in the regulation of androgen supplies in human prostatic tissues and to determine if enhanced uptake of TeBG may be characteristics associated with the pathogenesis of prostatic tissues such as hypertrophy and carcinoma.